Defiant Assad Rules Out Talks With Rebels

By

Nour Malas

Updated Jan. 7, 2013 3:37 a.m. ET

BEIRUT—Syrian President Bashar al-Assad issued a defiant call to war to defend the country against what he called a foreign-inspired rebellion, ruling out talks with rebels and rejecting international peace efforts for a political plan of his own that keeps him in power.

The proposal, made Sunday in Mr. Assad's first national address in six months, dims any chance of a quick resolution to the longest, deadliest and most complicated...